Standing Outside the Fire
by PlatinumDragon
Summary: Somebody new joins Nobuyuki's design team.


Standing Outside the Fire

Disclaimer: I do not own most of the characters named in this fanfiction, nor do I wish to own them. I take no credit for creation of any save my own characters, and have no wish to be given credit for any save my own characters. Please don't sue me.

Tenchi and company are owned by Pioneer/AIC.

Comments, quips, insults, flames and death threats may be e-mailed to [Platinum_Dragon@usinternet.com;][1] please do not MST this fanfiction without first checking with me. Thank you, and enjoy.

*****

"Ok... so how many new assignments are you going to give us this week, Gendou?" sighed Nobuyuki, as he saw his manager enter his office out of the corner of his eye. The man grinned at him slightly, and he sighed again. The only time the man did that was when he'd come up with some huge new workload that he could only trust to Nobuyuki and the rest of his design team. He supposed that it was the price that they had to pay for the reputation of the best crew in Japan, but still, it would have been nice to get a lighter work load once in awhile.

"Such enthusiasm, Nobuyuki!" he exclaimed. Nobuyuki winced. Sarcasm was entirely wasted on the man. "As it happens, for once I don't have any new assignments for you. I was coming down to introduce you to our newest employee," he told him, stepping aside to admit a tall woman. Nobuyuki blinked in surprise. She had hazel eyes; they were just ovaled enough to notice, but not enough to be Asian. Her hair was blond, and cut short enough that it hung a good inch above her shoulders. Her skin seemed to be a shade too dark to be American, though he was almost certain that that was her descent. She was wearing a light red jacket over a black shirt, and a matching red skirt. "Nobuyuki, I'd like you to meet Mrs. Tiannia Alvere. She's just transferred in from the San Francisco office and will be joining your team." She smiled at him warmly, and bowed slightly, before walking forward to shake his hand.

"Hello, it is my understanding that we'll be working together, Mr. Masaki," she said, in perfect Japanese. He blinked again.

"Oh... Oh yes, I remember that memo now, Mrs. Alvere. Please, call me Nobuyuki, everybody else does," he told her, smiling. She laughed.

"Only if you'll call me Tia. Mrs. Alvere makes me sound like a shriveled up old prune," she told him, grinning. "I've been told that this is one of the best design teams in the company to be in." Nobuyuki grinned slightly.

"I wish that I could take all the credit, but really I can claim only a small part of it. I have a good team, which, I'm sure, has gained once again with your addition, Mrs. Al - Err, Tia," he said, and she smiled again, blushing ever so slightly.

"Thank you. I believe that I'm going to enjoy it here," she said. He abruptly registered the fact that he was staring at her, and - with an effort - blinked and looked at Gendou as he cleared his throat.

"I'll leave you to introduce Mrs. Alvere to the rest of your team and to her office, Nobuyuki. Oh, don't forget that the company picnic is this Saturday - are you going to be bringing Tenchi this year?" he asked. Nobuyuki shook his head, involuntarily shivering at the thought of bringing the girls to the company picnic, because if Tenchi came, they would have to come too.

"I don't think so. He's been awfully busy lately; getting ready for midterms and all, you know," he answered. Gendou shrugged.

"Ah well," he said, before bowing and excusing himself. Tiannia smiled at him.

"Tenchi?" she asked, and Nobuyuki grinned.

"My son," he explained, nodding to a picture of him on the wall.

"Oh, you're married then?" she asked. A flicker of pain must have crossed his face, because she blushed slightly. He shook his head.

"I was. She passed away fifteen years ago," he answered her. She winced.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't realize..." He smiled, and waved his hand dismissively.

"Don't worry about it. You would have found out soon enough from the others anyway; after all, it's not like it's a big secret," he told her. "If I may ask a question?"

"Feel free."

"Your Japanese is excellent; I was wondering if you had taken a language course, or if you are self taught?" he asked. She laughed again.

"No - my mother is Japanese, you see, so I practically took it in with her breast milk," she explained, smiling. He nodded, smiling himself. That also explained her eye shape, and coloration. 

"I see. Oddly enough, that gives us something in common; my mother was Japanese too," he said; she laughed.

"My, what a coincidence!" she said, eyes sparkling in merriment. He grinned.

"Well, if you would like, I'll introduce you to the rest of the department?" he suggested, and she nodded. He grinned, as he opened the door to the main work room, and held it for her. Entering, he cleared his throat, and allowed himself a moment of pride as his team looked up at him. It had taken him eight years to get them all together, but they were the highest rated design team in Japan now, and rightly deserved.

"This is our newest member, Tiannia Alvere, who has just transferred in from the San Francisco office. Tiannia, I'd like to introduce you to Toril, our electrical systems engineer; Shinji, on plumbing and ventilation; Alan, who designs the security and emergency systems; Keichi, comic relief and simulation -" a laugh rippled through the room as he grinned dryly - "and Kei, staff secretary." They waved and said hello to her in turn, and then went back to work.

"Well, where should I start?" asked Tiannia, grinning. He shook his head.

"Today, nowhere. The shift is nearly over. We'll start tomorrow fresh, and figure out where you can most help and where your abilities will be most effective. In the meantime, why not take a moment to get to know everybody?" he suggested. She smiled at him, and then started slowly going around the room, pausing to speak to everyone. He grinned, and then went back into his office to start collecting his things to go home.

  


Nobuyuki yawned as he made his way up the steps to the shrine, and rubbed at the back of his neck. It seemed more and more lately that something or other on his body hurt all the time; a twinge in his neck, a stitch in his side, or his back would be sore... He sighed, and tried to get the kink out. Somewhere ahead he could hear Ryoko and Ayeka fighting yet again, and sighed. "I sure hope Sasami has dinner ready, I'm starving," he said to himself. "At least there is a nice breeze. That office was kinda stuffy today."

He reached the top of the hill, and only paused long enough to say, "Stop." Ryoko and Ayeka froze in midmotion, Ryoko with a fireball in her hand and Ayeka already forming a shield. He walked between them, and said, "Continue." The sounds of the fight resumed as he slid open the door and stepped through. 

"Hi dad," called Tenchi.

"Are you doing your homework?" he asked.

"Yup," came the answer, as he stepped into the kitchen. Sasami waved from the stove with Ryo-Ohki on her head, and Kiyone smiled at him from over a cup of tea.

"Oh hello Kiyone. In from patrol?" he asked pleasantly. She nodded, smiling.

"Half the time I don't know why we bother patrolling at all. There wasn't even so much as a space fly to splat on Yagami's windshield out there today. I'm just waiting for Mihoshi to get done in the bath; we need to be to work fairly soon." She abruptly winced. "I hope that she hasn't fallen asleep again; I'd better go check," she said, as she stood up. He nodded absently, as he looked over at Sasami.

"How's dinner coming along, Sasami?" he asked. She grinned at him.

"It'll be a little bit yet-" She paused as there was one particularly loud explosion from outside, accompanied by a rattle that shook up a little dust, "-but I'll let you know as soon as it's all ready." He nodded, making a mental note to check the structural integrity of the house. Washu would have something for that, he was sure. She always had some little gadget that did exactly what he needed it to do.

"Alright." Turning, he went into the living room to sit down, and promptly dozed off.

  


Ryoko paused to wipe away some sweat as she opened the door, and glanced at Ayeka as she spoke. "You seemed a little slow throwing with your right today, Ryoko," observed the princess. She nodded absently.

"Yeah, my shoulder is a little sore today. I think that I slept on it wrong last night. What about you? You looked like you were limping a little there," she countered. Ayeka winced.

"I think that I twisted my ankle this morning. Do you suppose that I should ask Washu to take a look at it?" she asked. Ryoko shrugged.

"Maybe. Better safe than sorry, I suppose."

"True. After dinner, then. Speaking of which, who's turn is it to sit next to Tenchi?" asked Ayeka. Ryoko blinked thoughtfully.

"Ah... Mine, I think. Didn't you sit with him at breakfast?" she asked, to which Ayeka nodded.

"Oh yes, that's right," she replied. "Say, did you notice anything odd about Nobuyuki today?" Ryoko stopped short, and looked at Ayeka.

"You know, now that you mention it, he did seem a little distracted, didn't he? Oh wait, I bet I know why. Didn't he say that Saturday would have been Achika and his' twentieth anniversary?" asked Ryoko. Ayeka blinked.

"He did, didn't he? I suppose that that would distract me just a bit if I were in his place," she said, and Ryoko smirked slightly.

"Somehow, I can just see you in his place..." she teased. Ayeka scowled at her.

"That isn't what I meant, and you know it!" she growled. For a moment, Ryoko considered letting the argument go a bit farther, but then decided against it.

"Aww, forget it Princess. Let's just go get cleaned up. Leave that sweat on too long, and you'll be even more wrinkled up than you already are," she teased instead. Ayeka gave her a dry look, but ignored the barb. Ryoko slid open the door to the baths.

"Come on Chowderhead! We're going to be late!" came Kiyone's shout. Ryoko grinned.

"Hello Mrs. Kiyone," said Ayeka, as they entered. Kiyone paused in trying to wake up Mihoshi long enough to wave.

"Good evening Ayeka - wake up Mihoshi!"

"Why not try holding some food under her nose?" suggested Ryoko, and Kiyone smirked.

"I might lose a hand if I tried that," she said, just before Mihoshi finally woke up.

"Food?" They all laughed, while Kiyone tried to get Mihoshi dressed and hustled out the door. Ryoko sighed as she eased herself into the baths. Ayeka settled in not far away from her, with a thoughtful expression.

"Hmm... Twenty years it would have been. And fifteen since she passed away. Odd as it feels to say, I feel a little sorry for him," she said suddenly, and Ryoko nodded.

"Yeah. You have to admit, we put him through a lot," she said. Ayeka nodded, and they both fell quiet for a bit. Ryoko frowned as she soaked. Suddenly, she had an idea. "Hey, why don't we have a party for him?" she said, grinning. Ayeka blinked at her, and then slowly nodded.

"That's actually not such a bad idea... But how to go about doing it, do you think?" she asked. Ryoko thought a moment.

"Well, Sasami spends the most time with him; she and Tenchi should have some good ideas," she pointed out. Ayeka nodded again

"Indeed," she said. They finished their bath, and then set about putting together the party.

  


Tenchi blinked as a grinning Ryoko phased through his door, and set down his pencil. Ever since the Haruna ordeal, he'd promised himself that he would listen to them without cringing. "What's up, Ryoko?" he asked. They knew enough to not interrupt him while he was doing his homework unless it was important.

"Ayeka and I want to plan a surprise party for Nobuyuki for Saturday, but we needed some ideas," she said. Tenchi blinked again - Ryoko and Ayeka willingly working together? Then again, they had been getting along much better since he'd gotten back from Haruna's world, and he still didn't know all that had happened between them in the six months that he'd been there.

"Hmm... That's right, Saturday would have been Mom and his twentieth," he said, nodding. "Ok, just tell me how I can help."

  


"A party for Nobuyuki? That sounds like a great idea!" exclaimed Sasami, grinning from ear to ear. Ayeka winced, and hushed her.

"A surprise party, Sasami. We were thinking that since he has done so much for us that we should do something for him," she said. Sasami nodded.

"Ok - I've got some ideas, and I bet that I know the perfect thing to make for the party, too," she said, before blinking. "Wait, what day were you planning to do this?" she asked.

"Saturday, we're planning," she told her. Sasami shook her head. 

"Better wait until Sunday - his company picnic is on Saturday," he told her. Ayeka nodded, and grinned.

"Ok. It's a good thing that you knew, Sasami," she said, smiling. Sasami laughed.

"Do you honestly think that anything happens in this house that I don't know about?" she said, grinning, and Ayeka laughed as well.

  


"Ok everybody, we just got a new assignment today, and it's been given top priority. Dai-Nippon Giekan wants to build a new headquarters in New Port City, and they've specifically requested us. The new building is going to be a real dozy too; they want full office space, research labs, in-building apartments, and full internal power and water, among other things. Now for the real kicker; they want the first draft by the end of the week," finished Nobuyuki. A round of groans went up.

"Full internal power and water? It'll take a week just to figure out what type of power system to use!"

"Office space AND apartments? What are they planing to do, skip the morning commute by living at work?"

"Research labs? That means quarantine, separate ventilation, chemical storage and more!" Nobuyuki waited out the usual complaints, and then raised his hand to get their attention.

"Now for the good news. According to management, money is no object for them, and we've been given permission to borrow from other teams, so staffing shouldn't be a problem. All of our other assignments have been shifted to the other teams. Alright everybody?" They nodded. "Ok, I want some ideas here. We'll break, and meet up again at ten. Everybody needs at least three preliminary thoughts to run with. Everybody clear? Let's go." They broke up as he turned to Tiannia.

"You don't give a girl much time to settle in, do you?" she said, grinning. He shook his head.

"That's what we get for being the best," he told her. "How are you at conceptual design?" She grinned.

"I might be a little rusty, but that's what I earned my undergraduate in," she said. He nodded, smiling.

"Alright, you're with me then; we need to figure what the basic structure will look like; as everybody comes up with more and more defined lay outs, we can alter the structure or their layouts to fit in," he said. She nodded.

"A reverse jigsaw puzzle," she said. He looked at her.

"Pardon?"

"My dad once said that architecture is like making a jigsaw puzzle in reverse. It starts all in pieces with no picture, and your job is to put them together and paint on the image, and then remove the lines so that it's whole," she explained, smiling. He nodded slowly, grinning.

"I get it. Hmm, a reverse jigsaw puzzle, eh? Alright, well, let's see if we can't get the picture to start appearing," he said, offering her a seat before his computer. Together, they began to work out the basic outer shell of the building.

"Look, this way it allows for plenty of space for research labs in this wing of the building, and apartments here. That way, the offices are in between to act as a buffer if there were an emergency in the labs," said Tiannia, as she highlighted each section. Nobuyuki nodded.

"Right, but what about the power systems? A building this wide would require two for the simple fact that the power has to go so far. Toril will have a fit!" he countered. She shook her head.

"I was thinking, I have a friend back in the states who is working on a new form of generator. Actually, it's more of a power amplifier. It runs on a very small amount of electric, and at 70% efficiency produces roughly eight to nine times what it takes in. One alone wouldn't be enough to power a building of this size, but they're small enough to fit into an office not much larger than yours. I think two in each wing on the ground floor would provide plenty of power, even running at 50%. The beauty of these generators is that they are designed to be self-perpetuating; a feedback loop runs from its output back to it's intake; once turned on, they power themselves," she told him. He slowly nodded.

"I can see the advantages to something like that for here, and a perpetual power system should make Dai-Nippon Giekan happy. Will your friend make them for you?" he asked. She nodded.

"He's been looking for a chance to test them in both a residential and industrial role; this would cover both," she told him. Nobuyuki grinned, and nodded.

"All right. I think that solves the biggest problem," he said, glancing at the clock, and blinking as he saw that it was already ten. "Well, let's see what the rest of the team has so far," he told her, before grinning. "At this rate, we might have this thing done by the end of the day." She laughed, as they went back out to the main conference room.

  


"I honestly don't believe this. I think we may have just set a world record. A seventeen story building fully designed and drawn up in only ten hours. We must have missed something! We must have!" exclaimed Shinji. Toril shook her head.

"With those self-powered generators of Tia's, everything else just fell into place. There's gotta be some kinda bonus for getting done so early!" she said, slowly grinning. For a moment, they all stared at each other, and then they all started laughing. Tiannia smiled slightly, as Nobuyuki stood, with the thick roll of papers that represented perhaps the ten most productive hours of her life. She had been expecting to see a good team here when she'd first been given her transfer - after all, they were the top rated team in Japan, but what she'd just seen went beyond teamwork. It had been as though everybody had known exactly what everybody else was thinking.

"I'll take these upstairs and see what they say," he told them, before grinning. "Although, maybe I should wait a day or two; Gendou might start expecting us to do this everyday!" They all laughed again, as he turned and left the room. Tiannia yawned, and rubbed the back of her neck as she wandered over to her office. It still felt like it was just a room; she frowned, and made a mental list of things that she needed to get for it. Including a small couch, and a few pictures. Toril and Kei dropped in on either side of her.

"Hey Tia. We have something of a tradition; whenever we finish designing a building, we go for a celebratory drink at this little bar a couple blocks over," said Toril, grinning. Tiannia smiled at her briefly.

"I wish that I could, but I need to get home; my daughter is probably already wondering where I am," she said. 

"You have a daughter?" asked Kei, grinning. She nodded, smiling.

"She's only ten years old; her father and I divorced when she was two. We're staying with my grandmother until I find us an apartment of my own here," she explained. They brightened, and Toril laughed.

"Ah well. Maybe you can join us next time," she said. Tiannia smiled again.

"Maybe. I'd probably go this time, but like I said, I gotta get home to the squirt," she told them. They nodded.

"We also wanted to give you a warning to watch out for Nobuyuki. He may not seem too bad, but just when you least expect it, he'll pounce on you!" said Kei. Toril grinned at her slightly.

"Well, not so dangerous as Kei make him sound, but he does like to flirt," she told her. Tiannia shrugged.

"I hadn't noticed. He seems nice enough. Maybe a little lonely," she said, smiling again. Kei and Toril looked at each other, and shrugged.

"We probably shouldn't mention this, but this Saturday would have been his twentieth anniversary; he always lays off a bit around this time of year. But he'll be back to normal before too long," Toril told her, and Kei nodded in agreement. Tiannia grinned.

"We'll see. In any case, I grew up with three brothers and three sisters, so I've had plenty of practice deflecting flirting and innuendo," she said, laughing. They both laughed too, Kei patting her shoulder. 

"You're going to fit in well here," she said, grinning, and then scribbling out a quick note on a business card. "Here. Just in case you change your mind."

  


"Mommy!" Tiannia laughed as her daughter pounced on her as she stepped through the door, and hugged her. 

"Hey there squirt. How was your first day at school?" she asked, as she began to tug off her shoes. Lita grinned.

"It was ok. The teacher and the other kids speak a little faster than I'm used to, but I still understand enough that I stay in the conversation," she told her, before laughing. "There were some older kids making fun of me because I couldn't talk as fast as they could, but then one of the seniors came over and made them stop." Tiannia paused in pulling off her left shoe, and looked at her in concern.

"They didn't try to hurt you, did they?" she asked. Lita laughed.

"Are you kidding? They took one look at the senior, and took off running with their tails between their legs!" she said, grinning from ear to ear. "It would have been sad, if it hadn't been so funny. I was laughing so hard that I could barely breathe." 

"Did you thank the senior for helping you?" she asked, and her daughter nodded.

"Yup! He said his name was Tenchi, and if they gave me any more trouble to just come and find him," she told her, laughing again. "I almost hope that they'll try, I wanna see them go running again." Tiannia tried to keep her face straight, but she knew she was grinning.

"Now Lita, that's not very nice, is it?" she asked. Lita gave her a wry look, and she gave up, and laughed. "Tenchi, eh? One of the people that I work for has a son named Tenchi," she told her. "Anyway, I'm glad that you had a good first day. Where is your great-grandmother?" she asked

"In the kitchen, which is where you should be child. I thought you were going to help me with dinner, Lita," said Naomi Morisato, Tiannia's grandmother, as she walked into the foyer. Tiannia grinned as Lita giggled and ducked back into the kitchen. She walked over, and kissed her grandmother on the forehead.

"Thanks again for letting us stay here, grandma," she said, smiling. Naomi laughed, and patted her shoulder.

"Hush child, you can stay anytime you like. I enjoy the company. Tell me child, how was YOUR first day at work?" she asked. Tiannia laughed.

"Just when I think I don't need any mothering, you manage to prove once again that it's always fun to be mothered a little. In the past ten hours, I saw an example of teamwork on a level that I didn't think possible. I think that I'm very lucky to have gotten a chance to be a part of it," she told her, smiling. "I suppose it doesn't hurt that my boss is kind of cute, either." Her grandmother grinned.

"Oh? And who's that? I might know the family, after all," she said. Tiannia laughed again.

"Masaki Nobuyuki," she answered, and Naomi laughed in delight.

"Oh! Yes, his step-father runs a small shrine up in the mountains. I go there occasionally to pray. He has a son?" Tiannia nodded. "I think that he rents out rooms in that house of his as well; there's a gaggle of young ladies always out there," she told her. Tiannia raised her eyebrows.

"Huh. Maybe I'll ask to see if he has any space available; hopefully that far from the city the rent won't be too bad. Anyway, I want to get in a soak; change into something more comfortable. I'm debating going to a small get together this evening," she said, smiling. Her grandmother laughed.

"Still quick as you were as a child making friends, I see," she said, beaming at her. She nodded, chuckling. 

"Old habits die hard, grandmother."

  


Nobuyuki eyed his cup of sake, and sighed before gulping it down. Usually he tried to avoid drinks this time of year, but tonight he just felt like loosening up. Sighing again, he set down the cup, and checked his mental count; that was his third, and he was starting to feel a little fuzzy already. "I better slow down, or I won't be able to drive tonight," he muttered to himself. He'd already given his keys to Kei though; she never drank alcoholic drinks, so she was always the designated driver and key holder.

"Hey Nobuyuki, why so quiet?" asked Keichi, as he sat down beside him. He glanced at the younger man.

"I was just thinking. I was sitting right here, right after finishing a different building when they called and told me the news. I hadn't even had one drink yet when the bartender told me that I had better go to the hospital. I barely got there in time to say goodbye," he said quietly. Keichi looked at him for a moment, and then shook his head.

"I wish I could say I knew how you feel, but I don't. Closest that I could come is when I had to have my cat put to sleep, and in any event, that hardly compares to losing someone that you love." For a split second, Keichi's eyes flickered toward Kei, and then he continued. "But you know we're around if you feel like talking," he told him. After a moment, Nobuyuki nodded.

"Yeah." Keichi nodded, and slapped him on the back, laughing as though he'd told a joke; Nobuyuki made a half-hearted attempt to join in the cover. Keichi smiled for just a second, and then moved away, as Nobuyuki looked at his cup again. Empty. Just like he felt at the moment. Sure, he reflected, he still had Tenchi, and how could he be lonely with the girls around the house? But somehow, it just wasn't enough. He wanted more, and damn whoever said he was being selfish. He sighed again, and started to reach for the sake bottle.

"Tiannia! Hey there, we were starting to think that you really weren't going to come!" said Toril, laughing. He twisted in his seat, and blinked in surprise as Tiannia came in the small bar, grinning and dressed casually - extremely so. She had changed from her business suit to a pair of blue jeans that looked like they had seen far, far better days and a short-sleeved black tee-shirt under a light jean jacket.

"Well, Lita went to bed early; she's not used to the time difference yet. Neither am I, really, but I figure that I'm old enough to stay up past my bed time!" she laughed. Nobuyuki grinned slightly as the others chuckled. For a moment, he considered another cup of sake, but then instead decided on some coffee. To his surprise, Tiannia sat down next to him, and ordered a Coke.

"This is a cozy little place," she said, sipping her drink. "Reminds me of a little pub in San Francisco that my family used to visit about once a week. It was owned by an old Chinese couple that made this spicy sweet pressed duck. People came from all over the States for that duck," she said. He looked at her.

"Did they sauté it in crushed sweet peppers and cayenne?" he asked, and she nodded, grinning.

"Yeah, and they served it with an orange sauce of some sort too. Gah, it's making my mouth water just thinking about it," she laughed. He grinned

"I think that I had that once, when I went to a conference in San Francisco," he said, and then paused. "In fact, I think that I asked them for the recipe; I wonder if I could find it," he mused, grinning. She laughed again.

"You'll have to invite me over if you do; I haven't had it in years. The pub burned down, and they decided to just retire, instead of rebuilding, which was a pity because it was a real popular place," she said. Nobuyuki thought for a moment. If he did have that recipe, then it would most likely be in...

"How about Sunday?" he asked suddenly. She blinked at him.

"Sunday?" she asked curiously.

"For dinner. I'll find that recipe, and we'll see if I can manage to make it as well as they did," he said, smiling. She laughed.

"Oh, I was just kidding when I said you'd have to invite me, Nobuyuki. I wouldn't want to impose," she told him. He smiled again.

"I know you were, but I wasn't kidding, and it wouldn't be imposing in the least. Bring your daughter with too if you like, we don't get much company up on the hill," he told her. No company at all, he thought to himself wryly, save the occasional interstellar bounty hunter or royal political usurper. She studied him for a moment, and then smiled, nodding.

"Alright, it's a date," she laughed. Out of the corner of his eye he noticed Kei and the others staring at them in astonishment, but he ignored them, and grinned.

It didn't occur to him until much later, once he was home, that he really had made a date, his first in nearly sixteen years. And he hadn't once thought that it might be betraying Achika's memory.

  


Tenchi yawned, as he moved down the steps toward the bathroom. He reached out to open the doorway, and blinked as it abruptly slid open by itself. Nobuyuki grinned as he stepped out, fully dressed. After just a moment, Tenchi remembered him saying the night before that his company was having it's annual picnic today. "Good morning, father," he said pleasantly.

"Hi there Tenchi. Father wanted me to remind you about sword practice today. I don't know when I'll be home, so don't wait on dinner for me, alright?" he told him, smiling. Tenchi nodded. "Oh, could you make sure that the living room and everything is nice and clean? We'll be having some guests over."

"Sure Dad. Enjoy the picnic"

"Thanks Tenchi," he answered, as he moved toward the front door. "See you later!" Tenchi yawned again, and got undressed to take his bath. 

Twenty minutes later, he sat down at the table with a cup of tea, and glanced at Sasami as she set down a bowl of miso soup. "Don't let me forget to get the house cleaned up Sasami. Dad said that we'd be having some company over this week," he said. Sasami laughed.

"Real company? Great, it'll be fun to have some guests who aren't here to kidnap us, or try to attack us, or any of the usual other reasons," she said, grinning. Tenchi winced.

"I hope Ryoko and Ayeka behave themselves. Gee, I wonder who's coming. Probably somebody he works with," he mused, before grinning. "You know, that reminds me, I met a little girl your age at school the other day. Some kids were picking on her because she was American."

"Did you make them stop?" she asked, looking at him.

"Would you ever speak to me again if I hadn't?" he countered. She laughed at him, grinning.

"Probably not," she said, and Tenchi nodded, smiling.

"They quit pretty fast, once they saw me coming over. She said that she and her mother had just moved here; it was her first day," he told her. Sasami smiled.

"Did I hear something about another girl?" asked Ryoko, as she floated in with a wry smirk. Sasami laughed.

"Tenchi was just telling me about somebody my age he helped out at school," she said. Tenchi nodded, making the mistake of leaning back from the table for a moment. Before he even knew it, he found himself with a lapfull of Ryoko. She snatched the spoon from his hand, and he sighed in resignation as she began to spoon feed him. He reflected that, before the experience with Haruna, he quite likely wouldn't have been able to stand this with any shred of dignity.

"So do you and Ayeka have everything ready for the party?" he asked in between bites. Ryoko nodded, grinning.

"Yeah. Only thing we still need to do is go to town and get the things Sasami wants for the dinner," she said. Sasami nodded, laughing as Ryo-Ohki jumped up to her shoulder. 

"Yeah, I found an old cook book way in back of the drawer with a recipe for pressed duck. It looks pretty good," she said, grinning. He nodded.

"Ok - I can drive you to town tomorrow and we can go shopping," he told her, smiling. At least until Ryoko tried to force feed him another spoonful and he nearly choked on it. Sasami whapped him on the back, and he finally stopped coughing. Tenchi sighed, and looked at Ryoko.

"How come I get to be so lucky, huh?" he asked dryly. She grinned, and for a wonder pinched his cheek and winked.

"Cause you're too cute to live a normal life," she told him, laughing. Tenchi just sighed again, as she picked the spoon back up.

  


Nobuyuki pulled up to the curb, and slowly turned off the ignition. Through the windshield he could already see Shinji waving him over. For a moment, he thought of the first time he'd ever came to one of the picnics. Tenchi had only been two; Achika still alive and absolutely beautiful. It had only been the first time he'd been invited. It seemed so very long ago... Now, sometimes, he found himself forgetting what she had been like; her face... her voice... her touch. Sometimes, it seemed that the harder he fought to hold onto her, the faster she slipped away from him.

Sighing again, he unbuckled himself, and got out of the van, making sure to lock the door before closing it. Immediately, he could smell the cooking food, and mentally winced. He knew that he'd been spoiled by Sasami's cooking. Well, he could stand eating normal food for a day, he supposed with a grin. Besides, he'd have to get used to it fast if he was going to do his own cooking tomorrow.

"What took you so long, Nobuyuki? We were starting to think that you'd had a stroke or something in your van," quipped Keichi, as Nobuyuki reached them. He grinned slightly.

"I'd like to see you move fast when you get old. It takes a little extra effort when you get to be like me," he countered dryly. Keichi grinned at him as the others laughed.

"When I get as old as you, you've got my permission to shoot me as a lame horse," he said, miming limping around. Kei laughed.

"Can we skip waiting until you're old and just shoot you now?" she asked, bringing another laugh.

"On second thought, just put me out to pasture, I'm sure Kei will be there to keep my company," said Keichi. Kei stuck her tongue out at him, while they laughed again. Nobuyuki smiled. It wasn't a big secret in the office that the two of them had moved in together; there was a betting pool for when they would marry. Nobuyuki was giving them another two months tops, while Toril, Alan and Shinji all thought at least six or more. Which reminded him of a question.

"Hey Shinji, where's the wife?" he asked. The man sighed.

"Home with the flu. The doctor said it was nothing to worry about though," he said. Toril nodded.

"It's going around, I hear. Hope she gets to feeling better soon," she told him, smiling comfortingly. They nodded their agreement. "So, have you heard the rumors out here today?"

"No, what's that?" asked Kei.

"I've heard that we're going to be getting an award for the Dai-Nippon Giekan building. Gendou submitted the plans to them on Thursday, and they absolutely loved it," she said.

"Really! But you guys really do deserve it, especially after the other day," said Nobuyuki, smiling. 

"No more than you do," said Alan. He smiled again, a little sadly this time, and shook his head.

"Bah, what did I do, except for add a couple of minor touches and run the plans upstairs?" he asked, sighing slightly. "No, between you and Tiannia, you planned out that building from top to bottom. I wasn't much more than a supervisor, and you don't need a supervisor. That's why, at the end of the year, I've been thinking that I might retire," he said quietly. They stared at him in surprise.

"Retire, you? No way, you're still gonna be cooped up in that office when we're all old and gray, churning out a building a week!" exclaimed Kei; the others nodded in agreement. Nobuyuki grinned dryly.

"I didn't say that I was leaving tomorrow. You've got at least the rest of the year to make the rest of my hair gray. But I just think that it's time to move on. The spark's gone out of it for me; I spend less time designing the buildings than I do cutting through the tape to keep them on the board. No, like I said, I just think it's time," he finished, smiling slightly.

"Time for what?" asked Tiannia, as she came up from behind him. He turned, and smiled again.

"Tia! Come help us talk some sense into Nobuyuki, he thinks he wants to retire at the end of the year!" exclaimed Kei. Tiannia raised an eyebrow at him, and he shrugged. She grinned wryly.

"A girl'd think that she'd scared him off, leaving so soon after she joined up," she laughed. Nobuyuki grinned slightly.

"I said that I was MIGHT retire, not that I would. I haven't decided for certain yet," he said. "Though where would all these children be if I did, do you suppose?"

"Up a crick without a paddle," she answered dryly. He blinked at her.

"Huh?" he asked, and Tiannia snickered.

"American saying. Perhaps it would be better to say that they would be a boat without a rudder. In any case, you did say might, not would," she said, grinning. The others nodded, and he shrugged.

"I suppose that I did, at that," he agreed, smiling. For some reason, her answering smile somehow made changing his mind completely worthwhile. 

A little later, Tiannia came over to join him. "Would you have really done it? Retired, I mean?" she asked. He looked at her for a moment, and then slowly frowned thoughtfully.

"You know, if not for Achika, I might never have gotten into architecture. Oh, I always knew that I had the skill to, but I never had the... drive, the confidence to. Believe it or not, I was a shy kid! If a girl so much as looked at me, I used to go red to the hairline," he said, laughing. Tiannia smiled.

"I'd never have noticed," she told him. He smiled slightly, and went on.

"But Achika... She never slowed down, never let anything catch her off guard. She didn't let me hide behind that shy mask. I honestly think that she would have dragged me to the interview if I hadn't gone willingly," he said, and then paused a moment. "They never knew what it was that took her. From one week to the next, first she was healthy as she could be, and then she was gone. My work kept me sane; that, and taking care of Tenchi. But now... I don't know. I still enjoy my work, even when Gendou dumps enough on us that we spend more time at work than we do at home. Hell, we've got one of the empty offices set up with couches to sleep on if we're going to be there for overtime. But the magic's gone out of it; the sparkle... Most of the time, the buildings are same old same old now." He grinned abruptly.

"Wednesday wasn't. That was the first time in a long time that I've felt that magic again while designing a building, and there was something... well, magical in how it happened." The grin faded. "It should have been enjoyable, but for some reason if only reminded me of how rarely I get to feel it anymore." Tiannia studied him for a few moments, and then spoke slowly.

"If this were America, I think that this is where I'm supposed to say, 'You must have loved her very much,' as though it wasn't obvious to anybody who can see and listen. Maybe I would be better to say that not many would have the strength to hold on so strongly to her memory; to continue drawing strength from her spirit. You said that the magic is going out of it for you, but maybe what's happening is you're forgetting where that memory, that spirit resides," she said quietly. Nobuyuki stared at her; how had she come so close to his earlier thoughts? He blinked as she lightly taped a finger on his chest, over his heart. "If that is it, and you've forgotten, then that is where," she softly finished. Then abruptly she blushed slightly, and pulled back. He lightly caught her hand, and she looked at him.

"Thank you," he said gently. "I don't think that I have forgotten where she is. Just that I had one for her to stay in." For a few more moments, they stared at each other. Then suddenly, Tiannia leaned toward him and brushed a light kiss across his cheek.

"I will see you tomorrow for dinner," she told him, and then rose with perhaps a trifle more haste than absolutely needed. Nobuyuki stared after her as Keichi wandered over.

"That's a new record, isn't it? It took you a month to scare off Kei, and two weeks for Toril," he said. Nobuyuki glanced at him briefly before looking back in the direction that Tiannia had gone.

"Keichi?" he asked pleasantly.

"Yeah boss?"

"Shut up."

  


Ryoko looked up in surprise as Nobuyuki came in the door, struggling to hold onto his keys around three bulging grocery bags. Looking around to be sure that nobody else was there to see, she rose, and walked over to him. "Need a hand?" she asked, and then accepted the bags from him.

"Thank you Ryoko," he said gratefully. She nodded and then smirked.

"Don't tell anybody, you'll ruin my reputation," she said, before teleporting into the kitchen with the groceries. Idly, she began to look through the bags. "Hmmm... Oranges, sweet peppers, cayenne... a whole duck? Wonder what he got all this for." She shrugged, and straightened as Nobuyuki entered the kitchen.

"Thanks again. That stuff was staring to get a little heavy. Where is everybody, anyway?" he asked, as he started putting the stuff away. Ryoko blinked - no attempt to try looking down her dress? - but answered.

"Well, Tenchi took Sasami to the park-" a small fib, but they were shopping for the surprise party "-Washu is in her lab as usual, MioKio are out on patrol, and Ayeka is taking her Nth bath of the day," she said. Then she grinned mischievously, as she got an idea. "If you go to use the bathroom, be sure that the door is shut all the way before you open it; it's been a little sticky lately." That ought to send him all but running to check and see if the door was open so he could peep on Ayeka, but to her surprise, he only nodded.

"Remind me, and I'll check to see if it needs a little oil," he said. Abruptly he winced. "I have to remember to ask Washu to turn off the women's bathroom, it would be a bad thing if she opened the door to the rest room and found that!" he mumbled to himself. Ryoko stared at him, dumbfounded. He wasn't even going to check to see if he could catch Ayeka in the bath? Now she stared at him a little suspiciously, but before she could say anything she heard the door slide open.

"We're home!" called Sasami.

"I'm in here with Nobuyuki!" answered Ryoko to warn them not to bring the groceries in yet. Nobuyuki put away the last of what he had brought home, and then straightened with a sigh.

"I'd better go ask Washu to do that before I forget," he said, before heading for her closet. Once he was gone, she waved in Tenchi and Sasami. Tenchi held three bulging grocery bags of stuff, which he set on the table, and started to unpack.

"Tenchi, you'd better see if Nobuyuki is feeling well," she said. He looked at her curiously.

"Why's that?"

"Because I just told him that the bathroom door was sticking a little open, AFTER mentioning that Ayeka was taking a bath in there, and he didn't even glance in that direction," she told him dryly. Tenchi blinked.

"You're kidding, right?" he asked, and then frowned as she shook her head. "Maybe I should - Hey Sasami, what's that matter?" he asked abruptly. Ryoko looked, and noticed her staring into the fridge with her mouth hanging open in surprise.

"You know everything that we just bought Tenchi?" asked Sasami.

"Yeah?"

"Somebody else bought it all too," she answered, as she stepped aside. They looked at each other, and blinked as they saw that the fridge was filled almost to bursting with the exact same things that Tenchi had just taken out of the bags. They looked at each other again.

"You don't suppose-" began Ryoko, blinking.

"-that the company Dad is having over is coming tomorrow-" Tenchi continued.

"-and he was planning to make the same thing we are making for the party?" finished Sasami. They all looked from the stuff in the fridge to the items on the table, and then back at each other.

"Naw..."

"Too much of a coincidence."

"Couldn't be."

  


Nobuyuki paused in getting the duck ready to check on the orange sauce, and frowned down at his messy apron. "I've forgotten how messy cooking can be, Sasami," he said, before grinning at her. "I suppose that's a small price to pay for enjoying your meals, though," he laughed. She smiled at him, although she knew that it was a little sickly looking. He'd been in the kitchen since that morning, up even before she was, and she was always up first. And he really was making what she had planned to make, to her dismay. But he still hadn't mentioned company tonight, so she still held hopes that the day could be salvaged.

Nobuyuki turned back to the duck, and began rubbing it with a mixture that he'd been grinding together for the past ten minutes. She did have to admit, it smelled great, and he moved about as if picking up an old habit. But if she couldn't figure out a way to get him out of the house soon, they'd never get the decorations set up!

Almost as if her thought had been a signal, Nobuyuki put the duck in the oven, and looked at the clock. "I need to go down the hill Sasami. Could you make sure that none of this burns or boils over?" he asked; Sasami was on her feet almost before he'd finished.

"Sure!" she exclaimed, grinning from ear to ear and silently willing him to hurry and go. He smiled at her as he pulled off the apron, and ruffled her hair a little.

"Thanks Sasami. I'll be back up before anything needs to be taken out, but just in case, the recipe is in that black, leather bound cook book," he told her, before grabbing his coat and heading out the door. Sasami did a slow count of fifty, before racing over to the door to Washu's lab and pulling it open.

"Hurry everybody! He's going down the hill for something, so we don't have much time!" she exclaimed. The family rushed out, and began to start setting up the decorations; Washu wheeled out the cake that Sasami had made the night before. Even Ryo-Ohki helped, floating around with a little basket of push pins for people to use in putting up the decorations. For a moment, she watched, and then hurried back into the kitchen. She had promised to keep an eye on it, after all.

  


Nobuyuki walked down the stairs slowly, enjoying the late afternoon. It was nice and sunny; there was a little breeze coming down from the mountain top that brought with it a slight taste of the snow-capped peaks. He grinned. It would be a grand day for company.

So why were there butterflies crashing around in his stomach holding sticks of dynamite, he wondered. After all, it was just dinner with a friend, right? A beautiful, smart, kind, single... Nobuyuki sighed, as he answered his own question. She was beautiful. She was smart, and she was kind. And she was single. Very single. "I'm too old to start dating again!" he sighed. But after yesterday... For a moment, for just a moment, he'd not felt old. He hadn't felt young, either, but... aware, alive. As though instead of standing outside a fire, he had jumped in and danced with the flames. 

He sighed again, as he reached the bottom of the path, and leaned up against a tree for a moment. Tiannia and her daughter were taking the bus, and if it was on time, it should be arriving right about - He glanced up as he heard the rumble of the bus' engine, and grinned. If nothing else, he had his timing down pat. The bus pulled up to the curb as he straightened, and the door swiveled open. A moment later, a smiling Tiannia - gods, that smile came to her so easily, he thought to himself - proceeded by a little girl about Sasami's age, stepped down. 

"I'm glad that you made it, Tia. And you must be Lita!" he said, grinning and squatting down a little to smile at her from eye level. "Two beautiful ladies; I'd better be careful, I might get into trouble if I'm not!" he said, giving her a wink. Lita giggled in delight, while Tiannia blushed just a little.

"Thank you for having us, Nobuyuki," she said. He grinned.

"Like I said, we're glad to have some company. I do have to warn you though, we have something of an odd living arrangement here - my son's girlfriend, two of his cousins, and an aunt live with Tenchi and I as well," he said, before pausing dramatically. "Come to think of it, that's probably why we never have any company, we frighten them all off," he laughed. They both grinned, and he offered Tiannia an arm. She laughed as she took it, and they began to walk up the path.

"It can't possibly be worse than living with three sisters and three brothers," she told him, smiling. "This is a beautiful area; it must be absolutely stunning in the fall." He nodded.

"The land itself belongs to the Masaki Shrine, and the family line. I married into it, as did Achika's father, who is the current caretaker. I suppose eventually I'll be taking that role, and then Tenchi. The house is on a small lake about half-way up the hill; it was the first project that I ever designed." He grinned. "Of all the buildings that either myself alone, or the team has designed, I've always thought of that house as my best work. It's a little remote, but it suits our needs," he explained. "Besides, these stairs are great exercise; I doubt that I'd be nearly as healthy as I like to think that I am if I didn't have to go up and down these things a dozen times a day!" he laughed.

"This place must be great for playing hide and seek!" chirped Lita. He and Tiannia laughed, as they kept moving up the stairs. Inwardly, he was hoping that Ryoko and Ayeka wouldn't chose today to start a fight, and that Washu wouldn't blow anything up in her lab, and that Mihoshi wouldn't... With an effort, he forced himself to relax. As long as Washu had remembered to shut off the women's baths, everything would be fine. Barring Nagi dropping in.

Finally, they reached the house; he blinked as he noticed that all the lights were out. Wondering if he'd had a run of luck and everybody had decided to go on an adventure without him, he opened the door and removed his shoes. Waiting for Tiannia and Lita, he took a deep breath and then stepped in after them. "Wonder where everybody is," he said, as he reached out to flip on the living room light.

"SURPI.... HUH?"

Nobuyuki wasn't quite sure who was the most surprised; himself, Tiannia and Lita, or Tenchi and the girls. Even Kiyone and Mihoshi were there. The living room was plastered in decorations, including one huge banner reading, 'Thanks Nobuyuki!' and they all stood behind a huge cake that had his face drawn and colored with frosting on it. For a moment, the two groups stood there, staring at each other in surprise, and then, suddenly Nobuyuki couldn't help it. He just started laughing as hard as he could, laughing until tears rolled from his eyes and his sides felt like they were about to split apart. After a moment, everybody joined him. With all his worries that something strange might happen, never in his wildest dreams would he have expected something like this. 

Once his mirth subsided, and he wiped away the tears from his eyes, he asked, "What's all this? And when did you get it all set up, I've only been gone twenty minutes, down the path and back up!"

"Well, we were going to throw a surprise party for you, since Ryoko and Ayeka noticed that you seemed to be feeling a little down lately, and since you've done so much for us, but we weren't exactly expecting guests today!" laughed Sasami, grinning. Nobuyuki grinned himself, and then slapped himself on the forehead.

"Oh, where is my mind? This is Tiannia Alvere, and her daughter, Lita. They've just moved here from the States - Tiannia was transferred to my design team at work. Tia, this is Tenchi, my son," he said. Tenchi grinned as he stepped forward and bowed.

"Hello - I believe your daughter and I have already met, on her first day at school," he said, and Lita laughed. Nobuyuki grinned.

"Standing to his right is Ryoko, his girlfriend," he continued. They had all agreed on these roles if somebody ever came over, and even Ayeka had grudgingly admitted that it would be better for her and Sasami to be visiting cousins than to try to explain away two girlfriends. Ryoko waved, grinning.

"Hiya."

"Ayeka and Sasami, Tenchi's cousins."

"A pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Alvere," said Ayeka, bowing. 

"Hi!" laughed Sasami, grinning at Lita.

"Washu, my sister and Tenchi's aunt- adopted." How else were they supposed to explain the obvious height difference?

"Salutations."

"And Mihoshi and Kiyone, who are old friends of ours," he finished.

"Hello," said Kiyone, smiling and stepping hard on Mihoshi's foot when she began to open her mouth. Tiannia laughed in delight.

"I'm glad to meet you all, and I hope that Lita and I aren't going to spoil your plans by being here," she said, smiling. Ayeka smiled back.

"Of course you are not spoiling it! We are always happy to have-" She frowned slightly, as Ryoko elbowed her in the side with a dry grin.

"What the long winded one here is trying to say is, the more the merrier, Tiannia," she said, grinning, and Sasami nodded.

"Yeah, come in, make yourselves at home!" she said, and then glanced down as Ryo-Ohki nudged her ankle. Nobuyuki winced. He'd forgotten about Ryo-Ohki! But Tiannia only laughed.

"How cute!" she said, grinning. Sasami laughed.

"Yeah, she's trying to remind me that Nobuyuki asked me to keep an eye on the dinner while he went down to bring you up, so I'd better do just that," she said. 

"Hey, could I help?" asked Lita. Tiannia and Nobuyuki grinned as Sasami laughed.

"Sure! I'll introduce you to Ryo-Ohki too," she said. Lita looked up at her mother. 

"Can I mom?" she asked. Tiannia smiled, and she laughed as she hurried over to join Sasami. The two disappeared into the kitchen with their heads together, talking and giggling.

"Sasami does most of the cooking," he explained to Tiannia. "I almost didn't know my way around when I went in to start making dinner this morning." She laughed.

"I barely know one end of a frying pan from the other, so don't feel bad," she admitted, smiling. He grinned.

"This... wasn't quite what I had planned for this evening," he said. Tiannia grinned.

"I enjoy meeting people, Nobuyuki, and I enjoy talking. But most importantly at the moment, I'm enjoying spending the time with you. So, since your family took the time to plan all this out for you, I think we ought to enjoy it, no?" she said. He looked at her for a moment, and then smiled.

"Yeah. I guess that we should."

  


Ryoko moved over to Ayeka, keeping her eye on Nobuyuki and Tiannia. "So what do you think, princess?" she asked softly, nodding her head just slightly in their direction. Ayeka bobbed her head up and down.

"If you're asking what I think you're asking, yes, completely. Absolutely," she said. They both grinned as Tenchi joined them.

"Absolutely what, Ayeka?" he asked curiously. Ryoko and Ayeka looked at each other.

"You want to tell him? Or should I?" asked Ryoko. Ayeka shrugged.

"Does it really matter? We both know how he's going to react, after all," she said, and Ryoko sighed, nodding and grinning wryly.

"True. He's woefully blind when it comes to things like this," she said, and they both laughed.

"Ah, girls? I don't mind if you talk about me, but would you mind terribly not doing it when I'm right in front of you?" asked Tenchi. They blushed slightly as he grinned dryly. "Now, what was that you were saying?" They looked at each other and shrugged.

"Tiannia is absolutely besotted with your father," they said together. Tenchi stared at them blankly for a moment, and then started to laugh.

"You're kidding, right? I hope so, because that's not really... You are joking? Aren't you?" he said slowly, looking at them. Ryoko frowned.

"Do you honestly think that we don't know what a woman in love looks like by now?" deadpanned Ayeka with a slight smirk.

"After all that we've been through?" he reluctantly admitted. "Somehow, it wouldn't surprise me if you could spot one from a mile away," he said. "What about dad?"

"Let's just say that you might wanna start saving up for a wedding gift now," said Ryoko, with a slight grin. Tenchi frowned at her, as he slowly sat down on the couch.

"Dad... remarried? That would mean a step-mother and step-sister," he said slowly. Ryoko sighed, and sat down next to him.

"It does sound strange, doesn't it? The womanizing, conniving, peeping... well, pervert that we've all come to know and watch out for when we're going to the baths. But I can't help thinking how very much different he was when-" she paused to look and make sure that Nobuyuki and Tiannia were still out of earshot "-we went back to stop Kain. He was so much like you it was kinda frightening." Ayeka nodded.

"Every once in awhile, that side still shows out, even now," she said, and Tenchi sighed, glancing over at them. His father and Tiannia were talking with Washu, Kiyone and Mihoshi.

"Like the last time it snowed, I know. But that isn't what feels so strange about the thought of it... I mean, I've gotten used to the idea of not having a mother, or any brothers or sisters. Sasami is as close as I ever thought I'd get to a little sister. But, if you are right, and..." Abruptly he sighed. "Jeeze that sounds selfish. No, I take it back, that is selfish. I ought to be happy for Dad, but all that I can do is think of how much it will change." Ryoko and Ayeka looked at each other.

"I'm not entirely sure that I follow, Tenchi," said Ayeka.

"Think about it, Ayeka. Among other things, how long would we be able to keep the truth about our little family hidden?" he asked. They both blinked.

"That's one point," said Ryoko, wincing. "And it's only a matter of time until something comes along that could put them in danger." Ayeka stared at Ryoko.

"You've been spending too much time around me, if you're starting to think about things like that before I do," she muttered. Even Tenchi looked a little surprised.

"Well, it's true!" she said defensively. "We do seem to be a trouble magnet. " Tenchi sighed, and shook his head, as he looked toward Nobuyuki and Tiannia. Now that they had pointed it out...

"You know what though? I don't think that it matters." Nobuyuki grinned as Tiannia laughed at something that Washu said. "I think that we'd better start making room for two more members of the family," he told them. They looked at him, and then at each other.

"Well, I suppose that it will be nice for Sasami to have someone her own age around..."

"And it would be nice not to have to worry about Nobuyuki trying to spy on us..."

"Hey everybody! Dinner is ready!" called Sasami.

"Yeah, come and eat!" came Lita's call a moment later. They all looked at each other, and chuckled.

"So, when do we tell them the truth?" asked Ryoko abruptly. Tenchi sighed.

"I think that's up to Dad to decide," he told them, as they walked over to the dinner table.

  


Nobuyuki stepped out onto the porch for a moment, and took a breath. Inside, the party was starting to wear down. The duck had turned out even better than he'd thought that it would; just as he remembered it. There had been talk, laugher; two or three stories about him that he could have just as soon done without. And Tenchi, Ryoko and Ayeka all three staring at Tiannia and him circumspectly. Idly, he wondered just what exactly they had been thinking, though he was fairly certain that he knew. The door behind him slid open and shut, and then Washu stepped up beside him.

"Good evening Little Washu, out for a little air?" he asked conversationally. She grinned at him dryly.

"Small talk isn't your strong suit, Nobuyuki, and it never has been. Nice try, though. She's cute; I like her," she told him. He grinned slightly.

"Am I really that transparent?" he asked. Tenchi probably didn't realize that Washu and he maintained a good friendship, or that they talked in her lab fairly often. Washu chuckled dryly.

"No, but it doesn't take a super-genius to figure out what you're thinking about when you've barely taken your eyes off of her five minutes all night," she told him, smiling slightly. He sighed.

"I can't help but wonder if I'm betraying Achika just thinking of what might be happening, but I can't deny what I'm feeling either. I'm more alive than I have been since she passed away," he said. Washu chewed on her lower lip for a moment.

"You know that I never actually met Achika, even when the others went back to save her," she began. That had been one of her surprises for him, that she had sent them back in time to save Achika from a creature named Kain. He wasn't supposed to know, but she had felt that he deserved to know about it. It hadn't really surprised him; even before she'd told him, every great once in awhile he would get the feeling that he had met all of the girls long before Ryoko first appeared. "But, even while I was in the stasis pod, I was able to see. I wonder if they actually thought that I would let them lock me into a pod without a way to look around," she abruptly mused, before shaking her head, and saying, "In any case, the woman that I saw loved you. There was no doubt about that, and watching her when they went back only served to reinforce that fact." She paused, frowning.

"I don't know, Nobuyuki. Maybe if I had been free then, I would have been able to save her. But I wasn't free, and she did pass away. There was nothing that could have been done, by you or anybody else. But Achika loved you, and that is the important thing; wherever she is now, she still does. Maybe you shouldn't ask if you're betraying her spirit. Maybe the question is, which would she want? You being happy, or you passing up life because you were afraid that by living, you might be betraying her memory?" He looked at her for a moment, and then took a long, slow breath.

"For a scientist Washu, you always manage to ask the right questions when it comes to the heart," he said quietly. Washu smiled at him.

"Didn't I ever tell you? I majored in love. It's the only science that will always hold mysteries, even for me," she told him, before reaching up to squeeze his shoulder. Then she turned, and went back into the house. Nobuyuki turned slightly, looking farther up the hill for a few moments. Then he smiled, and went back inside.

  


Tiannia looked up as Nobuyuki came back in from the porch. Lita was nearby on the floor, playing with Sasami and Ryo-Ohki. It was hard not to blink every time that she got a good look at the little creature; Tiannia couldn't quite decide if she was a cat, a rabbit, or something else entirely. She really did have to admit she was cute, though.

She sighed, as she rose from the couch. She really had enjoyed herself, even more than she had known she would. She hadn't been lying when she'd said that she enjoyed meeting new people, and this group was amazingly diverse. From the almost regal - especially in dress and mannerisms - Ayeka, to Ryoko, who could have come right off of any street in San Francisco or Los Angeles. Mihoshi and Kiyone reminded her of a pair of beat cops that she had known - more than once she'd been tempted to ask if they were police officers of some sort. Sasami could have been Lita's twin sister, and Washu had surprised her with a few architectural theories that Tiannia had only just heard of a few weeks before.

There was something about this group; it was closer than most blood relatives that she had known. They were tighter knit than a normal family; she wondered what challenges they might have faced to make them so close. It had to be one interesting story. That was Tiannia's major vice; she had an incredibly strong, absolutely insatiable sense of curiosity, and she knew it. She couldn't help but ask questions; it was part of what had given her such an outgoing personality.

"I've had a lot of fun tonight, but Lita and I should get home. She's got school tomorrow, and she's already up way past her bedtime," she said, grinning at her daughter. Lita groaned.

"Mom! Do you HAVE to mother me in front of everybody?" she asked. Tiannia grinned.

"Of course I do, it's part of my job. Now go on, get your coat," she said, smiling. Lita gave a long-suffering sigh, but got up, grinning as the others laughed.

"You'll have to come back soon Mrs. Tiannia. We've really enjoyed your company tonight," said Ayeka, smiling at her warmly, and Ryoko nodded in agreement. Tiannia smiled herself, and glanced at Nobuyuki.

"I'd love to come back, if you'll have me again," she said, as Lita re-entered the room with her coat; Tiannia hadn't worn one, thinking that the evening was nice and warm.

"We would be honored to have you back," said Ayeka, smiling again, and Sasami nodded.

"Yeah, and I'd like to see Lita again!" she said, laughing. Lita giggled, grinning at her. One by one, each said their good-byes in their own ways, until it came back around to Nobuyuki again.

"Would you mind if I walked you down to the bus stop?" he asked quietly. She smiled slightly.

"I would like that very much," she told him. Nobuyuki smiled at her, as he retrieved his coat.

  


Nobuyuki glanced up at the half-moon for a moment, as he moved down the steps with Tiannia. The light breeze he'd noticed earlier had come back with a bit of vengeance; he'd noticed Tiannia shivering slightly and settled his coat around her shoulders. They were nearly to the bottom of the path now; mentally he sighed, and then blinked as she slowed to a stop.

"Why don't you run ahead and make sure the bus doesn't leave without us, squirt," she asked Lita. The little girl frowned at her suspiciously, but then moved on ahead; they could see the street from where they stood, and Lita stopped well short of it. Tiannia looked at him, smiling faintly. "I enjoyed myself a lot tonight. Thank you," she said. He smiled.

"We... I enjoyed having you, Tia. You're welcome any time you like," he told her. "I guess tomorrow it's back to the grind," he said, and she laughed softly.

"It's not that bad, is it?" she asked. He grinned.

"I guess it depends on how you look at Mondays. The job is great, but isn't Monday usually when the pie smacks you in the face?" he asked. She blinked at him.

"Pie?" she asked, curiously. He grinned.

"Garfield," he explained, "is a very big comic character in the office. " They both laughed, and then they fell silent for a few moments. Looking at her, he smiled, and took a deep breath.

"Would... you like to meet for dinner? Just you and I, instead of the entire families together?" he asked. She smiled, and lightly placed a hand on his forearm.

"I was starting to think that you might never ask," she told him softly. "Thursday night is open for me; how about you?" He nodded, smiling.

"Thursday night sounds fine," he said quietly. They looked at each other for a long moment, and then, slowly, Nobuyuki leaned down, and kissed her. For a few moments, they simply held onto one another, until, in the distance, they heard the sound of the bus. Slowly, they parted, looking at each other silently. Finally, she smiled.

"I... had better go, Nobuyuki. Lita won't be able to delay the bus driver for long. Oh, your coat! Here, let me -" She trailed off as his shook his head.

"You can give it back to me tomorrow at the office," he told her. She smiled again, and lightly touched his right cheek.

"I will see you tomorrow, then," she told him, before turning and hurrying down the last few steps to the bus. He stood there and watched until the lights disappeared down the hill. The breeze swirled up slightly, and touched his left cheek lightly. He smiled.

"Thank you, Achika. I know that you aren't jealous. Just as she pointed out, I know you will always be with me, just as you have always been."

   [1]: mailto:Platinum_Dragon@usinternet.com;



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